The Way
by RisingSonic17
Summary: After a battle with Team Sonic, Eggman uses Knuckles's DNA to try and enhanced clones of the echidna. Unfortunately, he's created something...much worst.


It was a sunny day in Green Hill Zone. Sonic, Tails, and Knuckles are in a battle with Dr. Eggman and his badniks. Sonic was homing attacking Motorbugs, Tails was shooting down Buzz Bombers with his arm cannon, and Knuckles was punching down Egg Pawns left and right. Eggman didn't attempt to initiate an attack on Team Sonic. He was just sitting there in his Egg O Matic. His attention stayed on Knuckles, the doctor must have something devious planned for the red echidna.

Sonic destroys the last badnik and turns his attention to Eggman. "You know Egghead, if you would've chosen anywhere that wasn't Green Hill Zone, I would be less annoyed. Literally everyone is sick of seeing Green Hill Zone."

"Did you forget what franchise we are? Original ideas doesn't really fit the memo. Looks like you win again Sonic. Oh, poor me." Eggman says with sarcasm.

"I don't think you're done just yet Eggman. What now? Are you going to bring out the Death Egg Robot again?" Tails asked.

"No no, it's going to be that stupid ball and chain." Sonic said.

"I was thinking maybe a game of Puyo Puyo." Knuckles said.

Eggman growled. "No! It's this laser beam! Now take this!" Eggman presses a button on his Egg o Matic and shoots a laser beam at Knuckles. The echidna only felt a short sting, but it wasn't anything deadly. Eggman then turns away and flees from Team Sonic.

Tails walks up to Knuckles. "Are you okay Knuckles? Do you feel any body changes?"

Knuckles scratches his head. "I feel fine. It was just a slight sting, nothing major. What's up with Eggman today?" He wondered.

"It's not like Eggman to flee from a fight like that. I always knew he was a little girl, but he didn't get involved at all while we were fighting his badniks. Whatever he's planning, it must be big."

"Well let's just hope we're prepared for it." Tails said.

* * *

 **At Eggman's Base on a mountain**

Eggman was typing on his computer. On the screen was a diagram of Knuckles showing his abilities and body type. The doctor lets out an evil laugh. "Ohohohoho! Those fools didn't notice a thing! That laser beam I shot at Knuckles was my DNA collector. With his DNA, I should be able to create an Knuckles clone with powers that surpasses the original. If all goes well, I will use these enhanced clones to conquer the world and destroy that blue nuisance. Now, time to activate my cloning device."

Before Eggman can push the button on his machine, Orbot grabs his arm and stops him. "Sire wait! The cloning device hasn't even been tested yet. It could be very unstable."

"Silence you wired brain idiot! I'm the boss around here, you don't get to tell me what's "unstable". You're not my mother. Now, back to my dastardly deeds." Eggman pushes the button to activate his cloning machine.

The machine starting shaking and wires started coming out. Smoke started emitting from the cloning tube. A small explosion went off in the machine. When the pod opened up, Eggman's excitement turned into disappointment. He did get a Knuckles clone, but the clone's body was small and its face was kinda distorted. Eggman just sat there in his seat looking at the clone that stared back (or at least try to) with his cross eyes.

Eggman rubbed his chin. "Well...this wasn't exactly what I hoped. I'll try again, you never get things on your first try."

"Sire, no don't!" Orbot pleaded.

Eggman activated the cloning machine again. It just released the same defective Knuckles clone. The doctor was starting to get annoyed. "You know what they say, third time's the charm. It's going to work this time, and I won't stop till it does!"

"Dr. Eggman I beg of you. Please, stop using the machine. If we have the time to finish it, we'll be able to make the perfect clones."

"Orbot, who's the doctor, here?"

"You are sire…"

"Who's the one that got a degree in medical school?"

"You stole that degree, sire."

"Yeah I did, that means I got a degree in medical school. Now shut up and let the doctor do his work!" Eggman continued to use his cloning machine.

Orbot facepalmed. He decided to leave the base before things get even worst.

 **Five minutes later**

Eggman was sitting by his computer annoyed and surrounded by a bunch of small deformed Knuckles. Some were red like the original Knuckles and some were blue like Sonic. All the tiny Knuckles were just standing around making clicking noises with their tongues. However, there was one Knuckles that was really tall with a really muscular upper body. He also had sports tape wrapped around his hands.

"Where am I? Why am I surrounded by a bunch of baby Knuckles? Was I always that ugly as a kid?" The muscular Knuckles asked.

Eggman just shook his head. "I try to make the ultimate clone of my arch enemy's best friend, and all I get are these small deformed Knuckles and Boom Knuckles. Where did it all go wrong?!" He yelled.

One small Knuckles wearing a captains hat hopped onto the computer desk next to Eggman. He began to speak. "You. Egg shaped man. Do you know de way?"

Eggman was a little confused by the question. "What the hell are you talking about? The way?"

"Yes. Do you know de way?"

"What the hell is "the way"? Well whatever, no I don't know where the way is."

Captain Knuckles turned to the other Knuckles. "Brothers, he does not know de way."

"The egg shaped man does not know the way?" One Knuckles asked.

"He does not know de way!" Another Knuckles said.

The tiny Knuckles looked at Eggman angrily. Captain Knuckles turned back to Eggman. "Brothers, spit on the egg shaped man." All the small Knuckles started to spit on Eggman.

Eggman was trying to block the spit. He was starting grow angry. "Hey! Hey! There will be no spitting on me in my lair! I'll have all of you deformed freaks destroyed!"

Captain Knuckles turned to Boom Knuckles. "Big brother, throw out the egg shaped man. He does not know the way."

"Whatever you say baby me with a cute little captains hat." Boom Knuckles replied. The muscular echidna goes up to Eggman and lifts him up.

"H-Hey! Drop me you giant idiot!" Eggman yelled.

"If you say so." Boom Knuckles drops Eggman out the window. The doctor lets out a scream for help as he falls to the ground.

All the tiny Knuckles started clicking their tongues. They all looked up at Captain Knuckles. "My brothers. We must invade the city. To the find de way."

"De way! De way! De way!" All the Knuckles chanted. The knuckles clicked their tongues as they headed towards Station Square.

* * *

Sonic was relaxing in his home. He just got done making a chili dog. His mouth started to water at the sight of his favorite food. "Oh yeah you look delicious. I'm going to eat you all up. Before I do that, I'm going to lick up all that delicious chili from your long tasty scrumptious…"

Suddenly, Tails burst through Sonic's door. "Sonic! You got hel-" The fox stopped to see his best friend with his mouth wide open about to eat a wiener with chili on it. "Did...I interrupt something?"

"No no...not like I was trying to eat my food or anything." Sonic replied sarcastically.

"Nevermind that! Turn on the TV! There's something crazy going in Station Square!"

Sonic grabs the TV remote and turns on the news.

"Good afternoon, I'm a generic news anchor man with no name because the writer is too lazy to think of one. I'm here in Station Square to report that a group of deformed echidnas have invaded the city. Terrorizing and spitting on people. We don't know where they came from. But from what I can gather they've come to find what they call, the way. Now I'm joined by Captain Knuckles. Now sir, what are you looking for?" The anchorman puts the mic by Captain Knuckles.

"De way."

"Now, what is the way?"

"De way is de way. De way will lead us to the queen."

"Ahhh, so there's a queen you're searching."

"Yes. Only de queen knows the way. Once we find de queen, we will find de way. Do you know de way?"

"I do not not the way good sir."

"He doesn't know the way brothers! Everyone, spit on him!" Captain Knuckles called on the other Knuckles to spit on the anchorman.

"Hey! Hey! Stop! Stop spitting on me! Ahhhhh!"

The news lost it's transmission. Sonic sat there dumbfounded and confused. He couldn't process what he had just saw. Honestly, this wasn't something he didn't want to bother with.

"Nope, this isn't my problem." Sonic said.

"Sonic, we have to stop those deformed Knuckles from terrorizing Station Square." Tails said.

"I'm not fighting a meme. We're above that Tails."

"Our whole franchise is a meme Sonic!"

Sonic rubbed his chin. "Hmmm...That is a solid argument. Alright fine, let's head to Station Square."

* * *

Sonic and Tails make it to Station Square to see the townsfolk injured and covered and spit.

Sonic's body shuddered. "Gross. How are we going to find a bunch of deformed Knuckles?"

Tails started to hear a clicking noise in the distance. "Do you hear that? Clicking. That must be them." Suddenly, a female voice was heard screaming. "That must be…"

"Rouge!" Sonic and Tails says in unison. The hedgehog and fox follow the sound of the clicking. The two ended up back in Green Hill Zone where they saw the deformed Knuckles tribe with Rouge and the real Knuckles.

Knuckles turns to see Sonic and Tails. "There you guys are. Now, you mind telling me what the hell is going on here?!" Knuckles pointed at the deformed Knuckles bowing down to Rouge.

"Yeah, I have no idea either." Sonic shrugged.

"I think this may have something to do with the laser beam Eggman shot at Knuckles. I guess a cloning experiment went wrong and this happened." Tails explained.

"Well these Knuckleheads are starting to really annoy me!" Knuckles growled.

"Gee, now you know how I feel when I have to deal with your stupidity." Sonic mocked.

"I do! Now I just want to throttle them! Come on!" Knuckles started walking towards the deformed Knuckles tribe with Sonic and Tails following behind.

Rouge was just completely confused. She was just in Station Square observing jewels, then she suddenly gets kidnapped by a bunch of tiny deformed Knuckles and Boom Knuckles. Now they're bowing to her and calling her queen.

"Uh, I don't know what's going on here. However, I wouldn't say I don't like it." Rouge smirked.

Boom Knuckles approaches Rouge. "You're so pretty weird bat lady. I've haven't been this close to a pretty woman since I last saw my mother. Mama Knuckles always told me "You're never going to make past first grade", but I showed her." Boom Knuckles went into his pocket and take out a Meh Burger paper bag. "You want this burger I got from Meh Burger? I was going to eat it before I got sent here. I offer it to you my queen." Boom Knuckles kneel on one knee and hands the bag to Rouge.

Rouge takes the bag from Boom Knuckles. She couldn't help but feel a little flattered by the muscular echidna. The real Knuckles was never this sweet to her. "I appreciate gift. You all are rather sweet. Not the best looking group, but harmless."

"Hey Knuckles!" Sonic yelled. All the deformed Knuckles turn around to see Sonic, Tails, and Knuckles.

"There's no need to yell, I'm right next to you." Knuckles said.

"Not you stupid! I'm talking about them." Sonic pointed at the Knuckles clones.

"You are the blue man that chuckles. Do you know de way?" Captain Knuckles asked.

"No, I do not know the way. Now look, you are all incredibly obnoxious and nobody likes you. You are nothing but a meme that will die out. I'm going to have to ask all of you to get out of here or we'll force you to."

Rouge puts her hand up. "Now now Big Blue, there's no need to get hostile. The boys here just want to serve me as their queen. At least these Knuckles know how to treat a lady." She shot a glare at Knuckles.

"Ahh shut it bat girl! We're not going to allow you to be some tyrant ruling the world with a bunch of clones of me. So we're putting a stop this mess."

"You won't be doing nos uch thing. Oh boys." Rouge snapped her fingers. Making all the Knuckles clones turn to her attention. "Those nasty boys are being so rude to your queen, could you please take care of them?" She said with a pouty face.

"Yes my queen!" All the Knuckles clones yelled. They took out spears and started charging at Team Sonic, clicking their tongues as they approached the trio.

Knuckles laughed. "Please, you think I'm supposed afraid of a bunch of tiny-AHHH!" All the deformed Knuckles dog piled on Knuckles and started beating him up and spitting on him.

Sonic looked up to see Boom Knuckles towering him with an angry look on his face. The hedgehog snickered. "Hey Tails, get a load of this guy. He skipped leg day. Looks like he's wearing those anchor arms from Spongebob. Come on big guy, show me what you-"

Boom Knuckles hits Sonic in the head so hard that he buried the hedgehog into the ground. Sonic was feeling dizzy. He started seeing stars all around him.

Tails was amazed. "Woah. The strength of these Knuckles are amazing! Better scan them." Tails takes out his scanning device and starts tinkering with it.

Knuckles tried to crawl away from the deformed Knuckles, but the clones kept dragging him back by the feet.

"Why are you running?! Why are you running?!" Captain Knuckles yelled. The clones pulled Knuckles back in the pile and start beating him up some more.

Rouge snapped her fingers. "Alright boys, I think they've had enough." All the Knuckles clones stopped beating up Knuckles and ran back to Rouge. "Your queen desires jewelry. There's only one jewel I want in this world, and that's the Master Emerald. Could you boys get for me?"

"Yes my queen!" All the Knuckles clones yelled as they bowed.

"Where is the jewel that you desire my queen?" Captain Knuckles ask.

"It's on Angel Island. Don't worry, I'll show you de way." Rouge winked with a smirk.

"De way! De way! De way!" The Knuckles clones chanted.

"Guys wait! I just realized something!" Boom Knuckles said. The other Knuckles and Rouge turned to Boom Knuckles. "Racecar spelled backwards is racecar."

All the deformed Knuckles gasped. "My brother we have a genius! Give him a diploma and clap for our big brother." Captain Knuckles said. All the deformed Knuckles clicked their tongues for Boom Knuckles and gave him a fake diploma.

Tears started to well up in Boom Knuckles' eyes. He wiped a tear from his left eye. "I can't believe. I got my diploma! I told you I'd do it Mama Knuckles! Look at me now!"

Rouge scratches her head _. "While they are incredibly stupid, they sure know how to get things dumb. If they can get me that Master Emerald, I'll be the richest girl in the world." She smirked._

The Knuckles lifted Rouge over their heads and carry her as they leave Green Hill Zone to head to Angel Island. Sonic gets himself off the ground while Knuckles was still on the floor unconscious covered in bruises and spit.

Tails just glanced at his two friends. "Are you guys okay?"

"Geez Tails, thanks for helping us back there! Really helpful there buddy! Glad we had you around!" Sonic yelled with sarcasm.

"There's no time to be yelling at me. We gotta stop Rouge and those clones from getting to the Master Emerald."

"I'm surprised that thing still exist. Whatever, let's take the tornado and head to Angel Island quick!"

Tails scratches the back of his head. "Yeah...About that. I kind of lended the Tornado to Vector in exchange for a weeks supply of mint candy." He laughed nervously.

"Damn it Tails! Now how are we going to make it to Angel Island?!"

Suddenly, the sky began to turn dark. Sonic and Tails look up in the sky to see the Egg Carrier above them. The ship shoots out a tractor beam and brings Sonic, Tails, and the unconscious Knuckles inside the ship. Sonic and Tails sees Eggman with bandages around his ribs and his head piloting his ship.

"Yes I know, this is my fault! Those damn clones threw out of my own base, and I want revenge! I have a way to get them out of here!" Eggman said.

"Well get moving Egghead! We're going to Angel Island!" Sonic said. The Egg Carrier set its course to Angel Island."

* * *

 **At the Angel Island Altar**

Rouge and the Knuckles clones make their way up the altar with the Master Emerald in their sites. Rouge's eyes sparkled at the giant green gem.

"The Master Emerald is finally mine. All mine." Rouge said. The bat turned to the Knuckles clones. "Your queen greatly appreciates your hard work boys. I'm going to give all some sugar later." Rouge blows a kiss at all the Knuckles.

The Knuckles clones smiled happily and started clicking their tongues. Boom Knuckles was just standing still dumbfounded. "Sugar? Are we baking cookies?!" He says with excitement.

Rouge places her hands on the Master Emerald. Getting ready to take it off the altar. What the bat didn't notice was the Egg Carrier was coming towards Angel Island. Sonic was standing on top of the Egg Carrier.

"Hey Knuckles! I've found the way!" Sonic yelled.

Rouge and all the Knuckles clones turned to see the Egg Carrier. The Knuckles clones interest were peak.

"You know the way?! Show us the way!" Captain Knuckles said.

Sonic nods his head with a smirk on his face.. "Yeah I know the way alright. The one way ticket to hell! Hit it Egghead!" He yelled.

Eggman pushes a button that opens up a cannon in the Egg Carrier. The cannon charges up and shoots a laser that creates a portal right next to Angel Island. The portal opens up and starts pulling in all the Knuckles clones in it. Boom Knuckles was desperately holding on to a pillar.

"No! I don't want to go! Rouge!" Boom Knuckles called the bat. The two just looked into each others eyes. For some reason, Boom Knuckles felt deep inside him that he wanted to get off his chest. He burped. "Sorry I had to let that out. I wanted to tell you that I love youuuuuuu…" He yelled as he gets pulled into the portal. The portal closes.

Rouge just stared aimlessly at where the portal once was. While it was only for a brief moment, she felt something. "He...loved me…" She said to herself.

Out of nowhere, Knuckles punches Rouge in the face and knocks her unconscious. "Get away from my emerald!" He said angrily. The echidna took a breath and smiled triumphantly. "Man, I am a great guardian."

Sonic sighed. "Thank goodness that's over with. So Eggman, where did that portal send those clones?" He asked.

"That portal was set to send those disgusting creatures to an abandoned island. Where they will be far away from here." Eggman said.

"As long as this series is alive, the memes can only transcend further." Tails laughed.

* * *

 _Knuckles…Knuckles...Knuckles!_

Knuckles wakes up and sees Sonic, Tails, Amy, and Sticks standing above him. He found himself lying down under a tree with a coconut next to him. He rubbed his head.

"What happened?" Knuckles ask.

"We were looking all over for you! We thought the alien robot government abducted you! Are you even the real Knuckles? Who are you?!" Sticks yelled.

Amy pulls the badger away from Knuckles. "Sticks, now is not the time." She says.

"It looks like a coconut hit you in the head and knocked you unconscious." Tails explained.

"I just had the craziest dream. Sonic you were there. You too Tails. There was a bunch of little Knuckles running around that were trying to take over the world with our beautiful bat queen!" Knuckles said.

The other four just gave Knuckles a strange look. "Yeah...I think you may have gotten a little crazy there buddy. Maybe some Meh Burger will fix you up." Sonic said.

"Sweet!" Knuckles gets up from the ground and the gangs heads to Meh Burger. Was it all just a dream? I don't know, you figure it out.


End file.
